Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Majority of Arizonans Think U.S. is "On the Road to Ruin"

Congrats, Arizona: It turns out that we're cynical as all hell in this state now!

According to a release sent out today from Behavior Research Center's Rocky Mountain Poll, just more than half of Arizonans surveyed believe that the United States is "On the Road to Ruin," which I assume means a failure of our economy, of infrastructure, of government and probably an eventual takeover by corporate overlords or China, or something similarly frightening and depressing.

The negative sentiment is strong across all demographics (note: the following figures reflect the percentage of those who chose the negative response): While men and women both feel that our nation is crumbling, a slightly higher percentage of men (54%) are more certain about it than women (48%); rural Arizonans are more negative feeling about the country's fate than those in Pima or Maricopa counties (59% to 51% and 48%, respectively); and Caucasians are overwhelmingly discouraged about the future of America, with 59% of those surveyed believing that the country is in a bad way.

The most hopeful demographic surveyed? Democrats, who actually have a positive view: 47% believe that the U.S. is looking toward a better future, while 33% think we're all doomed to speak some blend of English and Mandarin in our future. Conversely, 62% of Republicans think we're on the road to failure, along with 61% of Independents.

Granted, it's a poll, so you should definitely take it with a grain or two of salt. Still, the fact that so many people are so overwhelmingly negative regarding the future of the country, on the heels of the government shutdown and the ongoing problems with registration for Obamacare, it's no wonder we're frustrated. I'm not sure we're destined to be the next failed empire, but things aren't looking too great.

If you're interested in checking out the poll, this link will take you straight to the PDF; it also includes a second poll noting that incumbents are pretty damn screwed next election, and that Republicans in particular should watch their asses if they're looking to stay in elected office.